Bulgaria Votes for President Amid Black Sea Crisis and Divisions Over Ukraine
Pro-Western candidate Andrey Gyurov faces acting President Iliana Iotova in an election set against a backdrop of Russian drone strikes and deep societal fractures over the war in Ukraine.
Bulgarians headed to the polls on Sunday for a presidential election overshadowed by a series of drone attacks on merchant shipping off the country's Black Sea coast and a sharp divide over the war in Ukraine. Acting President Iliana Iotova and ex-caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov lead a field of 27 candidates, with analysts predicting a run-off vote on November 1.